1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to arterial ablation. By way of non-limiting example the invention may be usable to relieve arterial blockage due to atherosclerosis, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Arteries affected by diseases such as atherosclerosis may have increased arterial wall thickness due to deposits of cholesterol and cellular proliferation. This leads to increased arterial wall stiffness and reduced internal diameter, and consequently reduced blood flow though the artery.
Hitherto medical intervention to arterial wall thickening has been endoluminal, that is, from the inside of the vessel, such as catheter based balloon angioplasty, laser angioplasty and atherectomy. Such procedures are relatively complex because the blood supply through the artery must be diverted. In addition, endoluminal intervention necessarily involves injury to the internal layer of the artery wall, the tunica intima. The damaged tunica intima heals by intimal hyperplasia and fibrosis. In a significant number of cases, estimated at 25%, the treated vessel is re-blocked within 6 months.
There is a need for a method and apparatus for increasing the flexibility of an arterial wall thickened by disease, in order to increase blood flow through the artery, which is more effective than known techniques and is less likely to result in re-blockage of the artery.